Proper Care of Knights in Winter
by Vicky-V
Summary: Merlin does it to stop them catching a cold. Because, quite frankly, it's the worst way to be stuck in bed. ArthurxLancelotxLeonxMerlin oneshot.


**Ship:** ArthurxLancelotxLeonxMerlin

**Rating:** PG

**Notes:** Slash polyship. Written for Day 2: magic, knights and snowball fights (seriously, Merlin, they're knights, not kittens) as just a quick thing for day as part of the Merlin Advent challenge on Live Journal.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing in connection with BBC's Merlin, nor do I make any money writing this fanfiction.

xxx

**Proper Care of Knights in Winter**

Most of Camelot tended to take cover when rain was hammering down or when the harsh wind was trying to tear things away from their bindings. Arthur, however, saw bad weather as an opportunity to test and improve the strength of his knights.

And an excuse to slip away from all the things the court demanded of the young king now they may think the weather had him trapped inside. But, mostly, it was for the training. The being able to slip away for a few hours just happened to be a bonus.

The thing with battle, he told them, was it often happened suddenly, no matter what the conditions may be. The knights of Camelot may well find themselves having to fight for their lives and their kingdom while up to their ankles in mud or with debris constantly blowing into the side of their helmets.

The morning when Camelot woke to find that snow had fallen and lay in a thick blanket on the ground was no exception. Arthur spent the morning with his breath misting in the air before him as he barked orders. The knights, as expected, performed well, despite the odd moment or two where one would lose his footing on the snow which had been crushed down beneath their boots.

After Arthur ended training for the day and the knights began to leave, some blowing into their gloved hands and others feeling for their ears, he kept Lancelot and Leon behind. He wanted to try a three-way spar with them before he might start introducing it into training sessions. A knight's honour was all well and good he told them, especially Lancelot, but in the heat of battle a man may become desperate. You never knew if you might suddenly find yourself with a blade in your back and so needed to be ready.

It went well, which Arthur was pleased about, and quickly developed into a pattern. Two of them would trade blows, then the other would come in at any given moment and try to strike one of them. If the one who came in was feeling lucky, he might try to strike them both. The purpose was to deal with the extra attack while still trying to fend off the first. And, again, try to keep their footing on the snow they were quickly reducing to an icy, muddy slush on the training fields.

"Right," Arthur said, pulling off his helmet after he called for a stop. "Worked well. We'll start doing that." He was short on breath and his ears felt uncomfortable in the chill but he felt happy that his idea was working. He tended to feel happy after training sessions with the knights anyway. It acted as a nice distraction, allowing him to forget for a little while about the heavy responsibilities which now rested on his shoulders as King of Camelot.

"Hey! You done?"

A shout rang across the field and Arthur turned to see Merlin heading towards them, hunched over to try and keep out the cold air. He was wearing a thick jacket, Arthur noted, with some envy as the cold was starting to bite through his armour and the chill of the snow starting to leak into his boots.

Tucked underneath Merlin's arm was a small pile of blankets, one of which he pulled out with one hand as he approached them. Then he threw over Leon's shoulders from behind him, seeing as he was nearest.

"You look frozen," Merlin explained, pressing himself against Leon's back, wrapping his arms and, at the same time, the blanket around his neck. Merlin's nose and ears had gone red, Arthur noted, which was probably a result of the chill. However, he doubted that was the case concerning the similar colour on Merlin's cheeks.

When Merlin was satisfied that the first blanket was wrapped around Leon's neck and shoulders, he accepted his thanks with a light kiss to the lips. Arthur found himself glancing around, but saw nobody else. The rest of Camelot was, sensibly he now realised, inside where it was no doubt warmer. Clearly not sharing Arthur's concerns, Merlin went to Lancelot to repeat the action of wrapping a blanket around him.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Merlin, they're knights, not kittens."

Merlin's response to that was to start scratching lightly behind Lancelot's ear, who didn't help at all by allowing it and even leaning in a little so his cheek became cupped in Merlin's palm.

Arthur found himself pausing a moment, half expecting for Lancelot to start purring.

"You don't want yours?" Merlin asked, holding up the last blanket a little as he started checking over where he could on Lancelot for any wounds which might need his attention. There were none, so he went on to Leon, who had come to Lancelot's side and was standing with one arm draped over his shoulder. In turn, Lancelot leaned back into Leon and rested their foreheads together.

It wasn't long before Merlin pulled back the glove on Leon's left hand and found a cut just below his wrist where a sword had caught him during the three-way training.

"No I don't," Arthur said.

"Fine then." Merlin shrugged, before lifting Leon's arm up and closing his mouth over the small cut he had found.

Arthur found himself shuddering as a chill shot up his spine, which left a tingle in his nerves. Something in his stomach twisted and then began to pulse hotly. He swallowed hard and ran the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip.

When he managed to tear his gaze away, he saw Lancelot watching the scene just as intently.

"You'll freeze your damn mouth to his arm if you keep that up," Arthur said, leading by example and turning to start heading back towards the castle. "Come on."

After taking two steps, Arthur heard the crunch of snow underneath boots, which meant he was being followed, and smiled. Until Merlin's weight suddenly barged into his back. Before Arthur could really protest properly, the last blanket was slung over his shoulders, held in place with Merlin's arms around his neck.

"You might get sick if you don't," Merlin told him, with his voice low and his breath hot at Arthur's ear. "Gaius is already having to make up cold remedies pretty much every hour of the day. And it's the worst way to get stuck in bed."

Between Merlin's arms still around his neck and veiled advice to get back inside as soon as possible and the sound of Lancelot and Leon laughing about something between them close behind him, Arthur quickened his pace towards the castle and the warm. Particularly his bed. Which had been proven to be just about able to hold the four of them.

_**END**_


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